Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-23
RENINIsCENCEs OF A GRAVE
ROBBER.
WILLIE WINTERS.

of the most prominent medical schools
south Of Mason and Dixon's line. An in
cident occurred during that winter which
came near costing me my life, and which
now propose to relate:
1t was felony, according to the Stat
utes of the State, 10 rob a grave" except
the graves in the Potter's field; robbing a
grave in the latter place was only mis-
demeanor-quite a distinction, you see,
the one q penitentiary ofense, the other a
fine
One night about ten o'clock word was
sent to our college that an accident in the
colored peoples church had Grip
pied considerable number and
to send surgical help soon as possible.
our demonstrators selected about twenty
OF us from the graduating class and hur.
Tied us TO the scene Of the disaster.
Here was a chance for young saw-bones
to immortalize himself!
In few minutes we arrived upon the
scene-snd such a scene-men, women
and children screaming and groaning, some
dead, some dying and great number ter
ribIy maugled, and those who were fortu-
nate to escape bodily hurt nearly crazy
with excitement.
It seems the negroes were having ''re-
vival," and during the singing, as negroes
will, they were oscillatiDg their bodies
to the time of the music thereby causing
the building to rock TO and fro. Now there
was brick column on either side of the
pulpit, and near the anxious seat, and
the swaying of the building being commu-
nicated to these columns caused them to
fall, with the result of killing six or eight
persons and crippling half a score; the
panic was terrible. Some hysterical woman
screamed out 'De Lord is come! Now am
de Judgment Dis am de las day !!
Bless de Lord !! Take us now, Lord |!
Oh, amt we glad we glib our hearts to de
Lord ~ and more of like nature, which,
under the circumstances, produced STAN
pede for the door. Many women and chill
dIen were run over and trodden under foot
in the wild rush for the street; more injury
being done in the stampede than was done
by the falling columns, many children and
old people being killed, Others injured, and
those not badly injured were wild with
excitement. / never before nor since saw
such pandemOnium.
In the very midst of this truly terrible
excitement we arrived, headed by our
worthy demonstration, man well up in his
profession, and one who had an eye to bust
ness, as will be seen before this sketch is
closed.
Well, we worked manfully for several
hours, turning the church into 8 veritable
hospital, setting broken bones, sewing up
cuts, binding up bruises and calming anx-
ious friends.
Where l to live as long as Methusaleh l
never could forget that night. A night Of
grOans and screams, with the men, women
and children and the debris of the bricks
all scattered around on the church floor;
I'VE had the seats remoyed) yet as vivid az
is that night pictured in my memery-and
it certainly is indellibly pictured there
the second night thereafter is much more
vivid, and now am coming to that which
l wished to relate, the above being only
preface TO the main incident-the prologue
and now the tragedy
As most of those killed were poor but
moi friendless, as the sequel will prove)
they were sent to the superintendent of the
POtter's Field to be buried at the city 8 ex-
pense.
was what the boys called stiff as
sstant to the Demonstrators in procuring
bodies for the benefit of the College, to he
used in the dissecting room-a stiff be-
ing dead body.
The next day after the church accident
received a note from the Demonstration
saying, BE at the bridge at 80 tonight,
buggy will pass and pick you up. If i'm
possible to 90 notify me at once"
Promptly at the time stated l was at the
bridge, and in few moments the buggy
il vehicle coupled and with top like
buggy, otherwise o bed like spring wagon
can be called by that name-came along.
This spring bed extended out
for several feet behind the buggy top
and was, covered with gum blanket
and was called 1.-THE boot" in which there
was sufficient room for half dozen or more
stiffs. Well, hastily jumped i'll, after my
signal had been satisfactorily answered,
and We went noiselessly bounding over the
Nicholson pavement, through the out.
skirts of the city, to the resting place Of the
city's poor. Alas it is ironical TO call it
a resting place. Witness the jars contain
Ing hearts; the Offices of county physicians
throughout the length and breadth OF the
land containing the skeletons that are sup
posed to be resting here
Driving on beyond the graveyard, recon-
Boitering for any colored people that may
be watching for us and finding the coast
clear, we boldly drive in the back en-
trance. Now begins the work. We dig
down at the head of the grave a
hole about one-third the length of the
grave; about two aud half feet deep
brings us to the cheap pine box called coffin
furnished by the city, which being broken
chain hook is inserted engaging the
stiff under the chin, and ii is much
easier redelivered to the world than any
one unaccustOmed to it would think.
First thing done after body is brought out
is to place it on the ground on its back,
then by taking hold Of the ankle bring one
leg at time up parallel with the body, a
strong cord is now wrapped around each
leg Just above the knee and one around the
body, the leg then bent upon itself, the
ankle is brought down until the heel
touches the buttocks, and the
stiff in this shape is forced into
a bag made for the purpose, some
thing like q coffee bag, and placed in
the vehicle behind the seat, in the boot.
In this instance We got four bodies Of those
killed in the church, and considering that
only two of us were at il the students who
knew of it called it a case of pot hunt
ing"
The next night we started out expect
ing to bring back at least six "stiffs," but
alas! We came near being made "stiffs" OF
ourselves. Having such good luck the
night before wree we not so cautious, and
upon this, and this alone, we were saved;
had we been as cautious as on the preced-
ing night then this tale would ne'er been
told-but having such good luck on the
previous night we drove in the
front entrance, turned our horse
and commenced operations exactly as
above stated on the night previous.
We had gotten one out Of the grave into the
buggy, the Demonstration was adjusting il
under the boot. had just turned and
was walking toward the hole in the grave
with the intention of filling it-Bang!
Whiz!! Boom!!!